Watch the Mops
by South.for.Winter
Summary: Regina and Robin are both on terrible blind dates and find themselves hiding in the same supply closet. AU prompt.


**HS is coming along, but I needed a break and something light-hearted. From a prompt on tumblr.**

Watch the Mops

"Another winner, mother," she mumbled to herself. "You really know how to pick 'em." She pulled out her phone, checking the time _again_ as she wondered how long she'd have to wait before her date gave up on her ever coming back and left. The cleaning closet was cramped and dark, but it was the only place she knew for sure he wouldn't be able to track her down. Too easy for a waitress to check the restrooms, and the exit was visible from their table. She was well and truly stuck. She really needed to learn to stop agreeing to these blind dates. Just because she was thirty-five and single did _not_ mean she should stoop to the desperation her mother thrust on her on a near-constant basis.

She tensed as the door opened, the bright light streaming in, temporarily blinding her until she was blanketed in darkness again. She stood paralyzed, hearing that there was now someone else in the closet with her, but with her eyes having to readjust to the dark, not having any idea who it might be. Surely an employee of the restaurant would have turned on a light. And her date could not possibly have figured out her hiding spot.

"Ouch!" She gasped in pain as someone stepped on her toes. "Watch it!"

"What on...Who are you?" a man's accented voice asked.

Good. Not her date.

"Who am _I_?" she asked incredulously. "Who are you? You're the one walking into closets without turning the lights on and stepping on people's toes."

"Are you...you can't be serious?" he asked. "You've been standing in a dark closet. How on earth could I possibly have known there was anyone in here when the light was off?"

"Now you know. So leave."

"No."

"_No_?!" she scoffed. "I was here first."

"Unless this is your restaurant, I don't believe you have any claim to the supply closets."

"It's a very small room," she argued. "And I found it first." She twisted as she said it, trying to find a more comfortable spot braced against the shelves. She could feel his body heat, he was so close. "What are you doing in here, anyway?" she asked.

"Hiding, if you must know. I'm on a rather painful blind date and couldn't find a more practical form of escape. Makes me rather a cad now that I'm saying it aloud," he added.

"Mmm," she hummed. "I suppose a bit."

"And what of you?" he asked. "What brought you to this small dark space this evening?"

She bit the inside of her cheek in irritation.

"Ahh. Hiding as well," he deduced, chuckling lightly.

"You don't know that."

"What else could you possibly be in here for?"

"I could have been looking for cleaning supplies."

"In the dark?"

"The light switch wasn't working." She heard him feeling along the wall for the switch and she tensed again, preparing for the light to turn on, but it never came.

"There isn't one in here," he said finally. "It must be on the outside. So that bad, hmm?" he asked.

She huffed out a breath of annoyance.

"Hey, if we're stuck in here together, we may as well make the best of it. Might as well talk to one another."

"It was my mother's idea," she finally confessed. "She's _concerned_," she said in a mocking voice. "Apparently it's unacceptable for a woman my age to be single, let alone a single mother."

"You have children?" the man asked.

She nodded, but realizing he couldn't see, she added, "A son. You?"

"I have a son as well," he told her, and from the tone of his voice, she guessed he must have been smiling. "He just turned four."

"Such a precious age," she said softly, thinking back to the time Henry had been four and smiling at the warm memories. "They grow up so quickly."

"That they do. How old is your son, then?"

"Ten. Going on twenty. I can barely keep up."

The man laughed, a pleasant sound, and she couldn't help but join him.

"She couldn't keep her feet to herself," he said suddenly, and she blinked.

"_What_?"

"My date. She was a little more than handsy before we were seated for dinner, but I thought she'd be forced to stop once we were sitting across from each other rather than side by side. I was wrong," he said flatly. "And she was a rather materialistic woman. Only interested in what car I drive, how much money I make, what I'm wearing."

"Sounds like a true gem. I can't imagine why you left her sitting there," she laughed.

"It's my friend, John – dear man – sometimes I'd like to strangle him." She laughed and he smiled at the sound. "He means well, though. He wants me to be happy, I know that, but sometimes I wish he'd let me try to figure things out for myself."

"My date was already asking for the check and my company back at his apartment," she admitted. "We hadn't even finished appetizers."

She couldn't be sure, but she thought she may have heard him cringe – could you hear someone cringe?

"Bold."

"Mmm. And wrong. And I couldn't get over his hair. He was a good ten years older than myself – not a deal-breaker – but his hair was dyed this horrible, flat brown color. Hiding greys, I assume, but I prefer a man with the confidence to leave them."

"I've got a bit of grey," the man said, and because of the jokingly flirtatious tone he'd used, she laughed loudly before clapping a hand over her mouth.

"Careful," he chuckled. "Our dates will figure it out if they hear us in here."

"Ugh," she groaned. "I was actually hungry tonight. I had to skip lunch at work and I thought I'd be having dinner by now."

"I'll tell you what," he said. "If we ever make it out of here, dinner's on me. Consider it compensation for me invading your hiding space and being forced to share."

She hummed in thought. "Alright," she finally agreed. "It's a deal."

She heard him move before he knocked into something, sending it clattering to the ground. He cursed, stumbling before he caught himself, hand brushing her arm as he reached for the shelf to steady himself.

"Sorry."

"Are you alright?" she asked through a breathy laugh.

"Tripped on a mop," he replied, and she laughed harder.

"I have to say, this is by far the best blind date I've had in quite some time," she told him.

"Truly blind. I can't see a damned thing in here."

She laughed again, reveling in the feeling. It had been a long time since she'd laughed like this with another adult.

"You have a beautiful laugh," he told her sincerely.

Blushing and grateful for the darkness that hid it, she ducked her head. "Thank you."

"I'd thought this evening to be a disaster, but I judged it too soon. I'm rather looking forward to dinner with you."

"So am I," she said, smiling widely.

"Do you think it's safe to go out there yet?" he asked.

She glanced at the time on her phone briefly again, dimly illuminating the space around her hand for a moment. She wondered suddenly shy she hadn't thought to use her phone's flashlight, but then dismissing the thought, she tucked her phone away again. She was enjoying the darkness. "Maybe just a little longer," she told him. "Just to be on the safe side."


End file.
